Kirkintilloch Kelvin takes the Northern Counties title as musical director bows out

Musical director Lewis Bettles signed off in style when he led Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass to victory at yesterday’s (Sunday) Northern Counties entertainment contest.

KKB beat Lochgelly under the direction of Chris Shanks by just one point to take the title at the North Inch Community Campus in Perth. In third place was Johnstone Silver, conducted by Colin McKenzie.

Lewis, who was also MD at Irvine & Dreghorn, is now moving south to Sheffield to take up new opportunities and to be closer to family.

KKB's winning programme had a space-inspired theme and comprised Sprach Zarathustra (R. Strauss), Enter The Galaxies (Lovatt-Cooper), Rusalka's Song To The Moon (Dvorak) cornet solo played by Amy McMillan, Lake Of Tenderness (Ben Hollings) and Space Invaders (Andy Scott).

The day before the contest, at the Forfar Community Campus, some 35 primary school aged children attended a workshop which was taken by adjudicator Gareth Bowman, assisted by brass instrument tutors from Angus School. The event was jointly organised by Jim Wishart, president of the Northern Counties Brass Band Association, and Paul Judge (Angus schools).

“It has been a very busy, but very enjoyable and rewarding weekend,” said Jim Wishart.

Full results

1. Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Lewis Bettles) 192 pts

2. Lochgelly (Chris Shanks) 191 pts

3. Johnstone Silver (Colin McKenzie) 189 pts

4. Clackmannan District (Paul Drury) 188 pts

5. Dunaskin Doon (Paul Drury) 187 pts

6. Broxburn & Livingston (Alastair Gibson) 186 pts

7. Perthshire Brass (George D Annan) 183 pts

8. Bon-Accord B (Jennifer Cook) 181 pts

9. Dysart Colliery (Kenneth Letham) 180 pts

Special awards

Best 1st Section band: Lochgelly

Best 2nd Section band: Clackmannan District

Best 3rd Section band: Perthshire Brass

Best 4th Section band: Bon-Accord B

Most entertaining programme: Lochgelly

Best percussion: Lochgelly

Best soloist: Rebecca Ritchie, solo horn, Kirkintilloch Kelvin

Best soprano: Broxburn & Livingston

Winning conductor: Lewis Bettles

Best NCBBA band: Clackmannan District

Best non-NCBBA band: Kirkintilloch Kelvin

Lweis Bettles (centre) is given a Scottish send-off with the best wishes of his friends at Kirkintilloch Kelvin